World of Sport

Tennis star credits boob op with rise up rankings

Romanian
tennis star Simona Halep has credited breast reduction surgery with propelling
her up the women's world rankings.

After struggling to establish herself in the professional game the 19-year-old
is tipped to be one of the
biggest new stars in women's tennis, and breezed through her opening match at Wimbledon.

And world number 57 Halep believes
that the operation has been the key to her success: she has risen nearly 450
places since going under the knife two years ago to have her assets reduced from
32DD to 32C.

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The
Romanian star burst on to the scene - and almost out of her clothing - at the Junior
French Open in 2008 (left), winning both the tournament and legions of male fans.

But she
felt that her game would not progress until she dealt with the two things that
were holding her back.

"My
ability to react quickly was worse and my breasts made me uncomfortable,"
she explained.

"It's
the weight that troubles me. My ability to react quickly, my breasts made me
uncomfortable when I play.

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"I don't
like them in my everyday life, either. I would have gone for surgery even if I
hadn't been a sportswoman."

Halep might have disappointed those fans - some even started an online petition trying to persuade her not to go ahead with it.

But she is enjoying the best season of her career, and is expected to make it into the world's top 50
when the new rankings are released after Wimbledon.